Messages - Alewyfe

Yup, simpler can be better. While some folks clean and set up their systems, some folks are already brewing. I hate cleaning kegs enough to know I don't want a lot more stainless nooks and crannies in my brew life. I just did a little 2.5 gal. BIAB batch the other night and set the oven temp to 150F and threw the kettle in there for an hour. It was so easy I just went out and got a 3 gal. fermenter so I have someplace with less head space to ferment batches like this. I can brew while I'm cooking supper......one pot and virtually no clean up. Now when I don't have a lot of time, it won't keep me from brewing something.

Major Vices should weight in on this and you'll get an idea of how crucial returning these kegs is particularly if it's a micro's keg. The losses from un-returned kegs to a small brewery is staggering.

On a homebrew scale I have experienced no difference in quality of the finished product. I have been using a stainless conical, buckets, glass and plastic carboys for a number of years. I actually prefer the buckets and carboys for the ease of arranging them in my cooler. If you're wanting to drop trub or pull yeast from the cone, that would be the only advantage to the conical and that can be a pain as the racking ports (mine is not rotatable) can get completely clogged so nothing comes out easily.

If you have everything else your heart desires for brewing - go ahead. But, a conical would definitely not be an early purchase in my acquisition of desired brew gear.

Yes, that's a disappointment. I've been in search of some of that same information lately. I'm fine with experimentation, but in the interest of scooting up the learning curve a ways, it would be nice to have a good reference. Maybe you/we need to compile some kind of a poll, say do it with 10 malts at a time, and give people a way to post their flavor descriptors based on their experience using these malts. See if we can build some kind of a useful reference. There's an awful lot of experience on this forum to pull from.

I've reached there with kitchen stuff. I can walk through a shop and finally not buy anything. Homebrew gear, nope, not quite. New stuff still holds a compelling fascination. I must say that getting to brew with a friend who has the most tricked out system I've ever encountered has put the brakes on my desire to acquire though. A person just can't brew enough to make all the set up and clean up worthwhile.

How about books Denny? Don't those count? The Malt book is out, which I will have to get and I'm really looking forward to Randy Mosher's new book too. Then there's that Experimental Brewing book. Perfect gifts for the brewer who has everything.

You done good! Many folks user a blow off tube in the beginning then switch to an airlock after the fermentation slows down. Prevents you from blowing gunk into and out of the airlock, or worse yet, blowing it off the carboy and exposing your beer to nasties in the air. . It will not affect the amount of kreusen.

These responses absolutely punctuate why I love homebrewing and the people who are members of the homebrew community.

The hobby is so satisfying because you all engage and interact.

We look up to and admire and are grateful for some very innovative people who have accomplished much and laid the path for our own brewing successes, but we consider them our Beer Yodas. The moniker All Star just doesn't seem to fit those we admire among the ranks of homebrewers.

I brew today because of this and other forums and people who were kind enough to take the time to mentor me through the early not so stellar results. Helping me to make good extract batches and then on to all grain. Taking the time to help me fabricate keggles, kettles, coolers and fermentation aids.

This year I have been able to spend brew days with at least 10 or more different folks who were new to the hobby and coach them through the process. Many of them have gone on to continue brewing on their own and have given me samples to taste of what they've been making.

What I think back on was how long it took me to master what I consider really exceptional beer. The folks I've had the pleasure of mentoring are producing extraordinary results on their 2nd and 3rd tries. This is NO testimonial to me, it's evidence of the exponential growth of the brewing knowledge base and the ease of accessing it .

Even for us old pharts, it's a splendid time to be a homebrewer. I don't think a day goes by when I don't learn something new about beer and brewing.

I have a Black Box. Blackboxbrew.com. It took about 2-3 weeks to get it from the time I put my email in to be notified of the next batch. Works perfectly. Haven't set it for ramping yet, but have a lager brew session coming up so I will have a chance to use this feature soon.

Northern has their Dark Star for $49 + 7.95 shipping. I don't have one, but that seems like a good low cost pretty high BTU burner. It's always nice to have 2 burners so you can start heating your wort before your sparge is complete.

Gramma made beer during prohibition to support the 5 kids after grandpa was permanently injured in a work accident. The local sheriff turned a blind eye because he understood her dilemma and her brew was darn good. So I'm told it's in my blood. A trip to the UK with my Brit husband in '73 found me packing a couple cans of Boots Chemists beer extract. I loved English beers and I wanted some back home. After a lot of false starts and wretched results I gave up. More trips to England, and the availability locally of beer making supplies, got me going again in the late '80's. That was the same time I found the Homebrew Digest, AHA and the Minnesota Home Brewers Assoc. Now I had the info and mentors to make some really good beer. (Gramma was proud) I had to give up brewing from '95 until '07. Then we retired and moved to Oregon and I dusted off the keggles and memories and jumped back in......deep.

It's not always necessary, but why wait for a stuck mash. I just use one all the time now. It's a simple rinse out when I'm done using it so it adds no extra work and it guarantees no lautering problems. It's nothing fancy, just put a connection to the pump from an old food grade bucket you've got laying around or buy a cheap SS pot.